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Content snapshot
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Violence
A lot
Significant violence in the horologist/anchorite battles; some of the combat is shocking
Language
A lot
Strong language throughout across multiple registers and decades
Sexual Content
Some
Adult romantic and sexual content across multiple storylines
Substance Use
Barely any
Some drinking and drug use in the various social settings across decades
Emotional Intensity
Some
The final section's vision of civilizational collapse creates moderate existential weight
What this book is about
David Mitchell's novel follows Holly Sykes from 1984 to 2043, as her ordinary life is periodically intersected by a secret war between two groups of immortals. The novel is Mitchell's most genre-hybrid work, blending literary fiction, fantasy, and environmental science fiction. The sections vary in tone from sunny to apocalyptic. Violence in the immortal war sequences is significant; adult content throughout. One of Mitchell's most ambitious and divisive works.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Supernatural war violence
Environmental collapse in the final section
Reader Verification
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